Isabella Hawke – Page 73 – Create That Body

Are You Feeling Fat And Bloated?

Are you feeling fat and bloated?

When you feel fat and bloated after a meal, it has an immediate negative effect on your mood. But there are other, more serious long-term health consequences to feeling this way as well.

“Bloating or fullness after meals is common in adults,” said Dr. Ryan Zarychanski, associate professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Manitoba.

According to him “it can be difficult to separate feelings of anxiety about weight gain from these feelings”. As in feeling bloated and fat. It’s as if our mood and anxiety levels are directly associated with what we eat. And I know I feel horrible after I’ve eaten processed food.

Hiding behind our excuses is human nature

This makes sense and none of us like to think we’re getting fatter and we don’t want to admit that we’re feeling uncomfortable because we’ve eaten too much or too much of the wrong thing. It’s human nature to want to put a positive spin on things so we tend to make excuses for the way we look and feel.

If you’re feeling fat and bloated, what are the chances that you’ll be able to stay on track with your goals to get back into shape?

Address negative emotions

If you don’t address negative emotions associated with food intake now, they can cause long-term stress and be detrimental to your health in more ways than one.

That’s why plant-based medicine is important. “Let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food” That’s a quote by Hypocrites 2500 years ago and it seems that we’ve gone down the rabbit hole as far as food is concerned. Hypocrites knew the importance of a diet full of fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes and yet we today seem to overlook their importance for mental, physical, and emotional health.

How a plant-based diet can help

So what can we do to stop the bloating and the feeling of being fat after eating? We can try a plant-based diet.

Plant-based diet contains no animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and excludes processed food like refined sugars and flours including cakes, biscuits, pasta, and bread. And unlike the standard western diet a plant-based diet is actually good for you as long as you stick to whole foods and not processed foods.

Dr. Zarychanski said plant-based diets such as vegan or vegetarian diets can make you feel more satisfied after a smaller amount of food.

He also says plant-based diets don’t cause the same blood sugar levels spikes and crashes that processed foods do, which means plant-based meals help you avoid feeling bloated and fat.

Plant-based diets are brilliant for health benefits and the feel good factor, and they work like a charm for reducing lifestyle diseases and for weight loss too. Plant-based food can be delicious, and it makes your body feel and look good too.

If you’re feeling bloated and fat after meals, why not give my plant-based recipes a go. You’ll feel much better and not at all bloated!

To help with your weight loss and lifestyle disease reversal you may also want to pay particular attention to your gut biome which they call your second brain. If you don’t pay attention to your gut biome your chances of being as healthy as you want to be may not happen.

It’s only in the last 12 years that scientists have found out just how much of a part your gut plays in overall health. For this very reason I use Gut health by Arbonne. I used to use another brand but I found that this brand worked best for me. You might want to give it ago, I noticed results within a week or two.

So, the best thing to do to keep yourself from feeling fat and bloated is to avoid processed food, meat, and dairy products. When you stick to whole food plant-base diet you can eat pretty much the same as you used to but a healthier version.

For more information why not book your free consultation today and see how we can help you to lose weight, reverse lifestyle illnesses and look and feel great about yourself.

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How Being Insulin Resistant Can Prevent You From Losing Weight?

HOW BEING INSULIN RESISTANT CAN PREVENT YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT?

A major impediment to losing weight is insulin resistance. In fact, insulin resistance is far more common than just about any other condition that doctors routinely diagnose and treat – diabetes, insulinoma, insulin resistance associated with obesity and PCOS.

“I’m insulin resistant,” A lady told Dr Gundry in an office visit.

She came to this conclusion because her blood sugar was over 125mg/dL for several days in a row. He immediately asked her what she was eating and when he heard it included bread his jaw dropped. Dr Gundry told the lady.

· Bread raises blood sugar like crazy!

· insulin resistance prevents weight loss no matter how much physical activity you do or what you eat.

The above sounds strange doesn’t it but let me explain.

Insulin encourages the body to store calories as fat. When insulin levels are high, the body converts excess sugar into fat and then ships that fat out into the blood stream for storage throughout your body, especially in fat cells under the skin, but also around organs where it is one of several factors leading to “metabolically unhealthy” obesity.

Breaking insulin resistance allows insulin levels to drop so that calories are not stored as fat. New energy can be burned instead of being hidden away in fatty cells on your hips, stomach and thighs.

Back to the story. During Dr Gundry’s dietary consultation he specifically asked the lady if she ate carbohydrates like bread and she said yes. He then told her that insulin resistance is common with type 2 diabetes and it also prevents weight loss.

She had been trying to lose weight for several years and nothing worked and so when he explained insulin resistance, its impact on weight loss and how insulin can be lowered through diet, especially carbohydrates , her jaw dropped too!

“Carbs, how come” the lady asked.

Different diets work for different people but Dr Gundry’s plant-based diet addresses insulin resistance whilst also lowering insulin levels, increasing insulin sensitivity, and stabilising blood sugar levels.

It all starts with cutting out the foods that raise insulin – refined carbs such as pasta, breads, rice cakes etc., fruit juices (which give you a huge jolt of sugar) and fruit (although you can eat plenty of berries).

Dr Gundry’s diet plan encourages high insulin levels. The insulin index score is a useful guide for determining insulin response to different foods in our diet.

· insulin index score makes it easy to identify insulin raising foods

· insulin resistance prevents weight loss no matter how much physical activity you do or what you eat.

Some people are sensitive to carbs, others less so but when insulin sensitivity falls, carbs turn into fat in the abdomen – where they are most harmful .

The insulin index score is a useful guide for determining insulin response to different foods in our diet. It shows how much your pancreas has to release insulin in order to metabolise a set amount of carbs from different foods.

For instance, one slice of white bread raised insulin 36% more than the insulin required to deal with one serving (90 grams) of pure glucose sugar.

One boiled potato spiked insulin 150% higher than the insulin needed to process 1 gram of glucose. That’s enough insulin release to turn two slices of buttered toast into instant belly fat!

Did you know dairy has the same insulin index as white bread??? You don’t want to be eating that if you want your insulin levels to be normal.

The insulin index is an excellent tool for gauging how various carbohydrates affect our insulin levels. The lower the insulin response, the less insulin you need and that means that your body will be working on using energy rather than storing away excess calories as fat.

· insulin resistance prevents weight loss no matter how much physical activity you do or what you eat.

Low insulin, high insulin index score, the higher the insulin the more it stimulates your body to store calories away as fat so avoid these carbs when trying to lose weight: white bread, rice cakes, sweetened drinks like fruit juices and sweetened drinks like sports drinks.

want insulin to stay elevated for too long because eventually it will bring your blood sugar down too low don’t Most grains are insulinogenic which means that insulin goes up after you eat them. Dr Gundry’s diet plan encourages high insulin levels, and the insulin index score makes it easy to identify insulin raising foods.

The three most insulinogenic cereals: Cream of Wheat, Corn Flakes and Wheaties. These cereals don’t even rank as half as good as oatmeal which raises insulin by only 12%. This would mean you’d need more than twice as much insulin release if you ate a bowl of Cream of Wheat than you would if you ate a bowl of steel cut oats!

Bad carbs cause your insulin levels spike, whereas good carbs lower insulin levels so insulin stays in the normal range. Insulin spikes are bad news because insulin works like a key, opening cells up to glucose and depositing them into fat storage.

Lower insulin levels mean insulin resistance is less likely to develop, weight loss becomes easier, and you burn more body fat.

I know this can be confusing so I recommend reading Dr. Gundry’s book the Plant Paradox so you can get your head around how all of this works. I’ve read these books and although they do go against some of the works of other doctors at the top of their profession Dr. Gubdry’s research has produced stable findings over a twenty-year period.

Buy safely at amazon

Amazon UK: The plant Paradox

Amazon.com: The plant Paradox

PS: the story above is not true I made it up to get the point across easier.

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Delicious Plant-based Recipes To Get You Started

3 DELICIOUS PLANT-BASED RECIPES TO GET YOU STARTED

Have you adopted a plant-based diet recently? Are you not sure yet what cook and how to cook delicious plant-based recipes? Well don’t worry guys here is a short guide to creating healthy and tasty plant-based recipes.

Let’s kick off with one of my favourites, especially in winter as it’s so filling and good for you.

LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

All you need for the recipe is:
2 x small onions diced nicely
3 x small carrots
4 x small potatoes (diced)
8 x cups of vegetable broth
1 x can of roasted diced tomatoes
1 x bag of red lentils
½ cup of chopped spinach
½ cup of chopped fresh parsley
½ cup of chopped green peppers ( for croutons)
Salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE THE LENTIL AND VEGETABLE SOUP

In a pan add all ingredients except spinach. Cook on low flame for 1 hour until the lentils are cooked.
Add in the spinach and parsley a few minutes before the soup is cooked.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve in a bowl with green pepper croutons

SCRUMPTIOUS GLUTEN FREE PASTA

You can enjoy a pasta with a creamy sauce and rich flavours.

INGREDIENTS

2 x small carrots
4 x cups of vegetable broth
½ cup of nutritional yeast
1 x large russet potato peeled and diced
½ cup of cashews
4 x ounce of gluten free pasta (if you don’t like gluen free pasta you can chose the type you like)
3 x cloves of finely chopped garlic
1/2 x cup of chopped yellow onion
1 x teaspoon of turmeric
½ x cup of chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE THE CREAMY PASTA

In a saucepan add potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and turmeric. Add vegetable broth and cook for about 20 minutes.
Soak the cashews. Meanwhile boil your pasta.
In a blender add nutritional yeast, soaked and drained cashew, boiled potatoes, onions and carrots.
This should form a creamy sauce. Add boiled pasta to the sauce.
Add salt and pepper as per your taste
Top with chopped fresh parsley

BLACK BEANS AND BROWN RICE BURGER PATTIES

You can make this delicious Pattie loaded with flavors and nutrients.

INGREDIENTS

½ x cup of brown rice
1 x teaspoon of roasted cumin
1 x 15 ounce can of black beans
½ x diced onion
1 x teaspoon of garlic powder
½ x teaspoon of chili powder
¼ x cup of corn
You will also need salsa and avocado slices for serving

HOW TO MAKE THE PATTIE

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Add water to rice and cook it completely.
Drain the beans, in a bowl mix the beans, onions, spices and corn together. Mash them well with your hands or a masher.
Add boiled rice to the mixture and mash until it’s well combined.
Form mixture into balls and shape them into patties. Each pattie should be 1/2inch thick.
Bake the patties in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Serve between two lettuce leaves with salsa and avocado slices

I hope you enjoy these very quick and easy recipes.

Ok, the soup takes slightly longer to cook but it’s important to cook pulses and legumes properly to ensure the lectins have been removed. According to Dr. Gundry Lectins are responsible for causing most lifestyle illnesses. In his book the Plant Paradox he explains lectins and their side effects. You can buy his book safely at amazon. Dr. Gundry also has a book out called the Energy Paradox where he explains how to get your energy back through diet.

You may want to try out some of my other plant-based recipes.

Enjoy!

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Is Juicing Good Or Bad?

IS JUICING GOOD OR BAD?

Every morning on Instagram, you see all these plant-based bloggers with their photos of green juices and smoothies, some healthy others a little too processed claiming that you can lose 10lb in a day if you drink this one juice. Tut Tut, don’t be taken in by it all as it simply isn’t true.

The plant-based lifestyle does not have to include plant-based juices, they are nice for a treat or a detox but not for everyday consumption. In fact, it is better if you don’t have them because plant-based juices from shops contain almost no fibre and are very high in the sugar department.

Shop Bought Juice – Yes Or No?

Now I’m not saying that drinking juice from plants is bad for your health but there are some things that can be improved about plant-based juices from shops. These juices contain high levels of sugar and no fibre which means the sugar gets absorbed into your system very quickly leaving you hungry soon after. This amount of sugar being rushed into your system this fast will result in a sugar spike then a sugar low. This will leave you feeling tired and sluggish.

Why Should You Eat The Whole Food And Not The Juice?

Another way to look at this is by comparing plant-based juice to vegan meals made with the same ingredients, for example a blend of kale, cucumber, celery, and lemon. The plant-based juice contains the same ingredients, but it has been juiced meaning that all the fibre has been taken out of the veggies leaving you hungry sooner. Did you know that fibre is one of the main ingredients that constitutes to a good gut biome?

Why You Shouldn’t Have A Juice Everyday And Expect To Lose Weight

The best way to get plant nutrients into your diet is by eating whole plant foods instead of drinking plant-based juices/smoothies. This is because plant-based drinks are often not as healthy as they first appear due to the high levels of sugar. I keep mentioning the sugar content as type two diabetes, heart disease and obesity are prevalent in the West. For this reason, juices and smoothies should be treated more like a treat.

If you are on a juicing diet to reboot your metabolism that’s a different story. I’ll cover that in an additional blog.

So, if you want to get plant-based nutrients into your diet you’re better off making your own meals such as vegan burgers, healthy salads and plant-based soups which contain fibre and other plant nutrients.

Juice Your Own And Drink The Live Vitamins And Minerals

Alternatively, if you really cannot resist plant-based juices take up juicing yourself and make sure the plant ingredients aren’t too high in sugar. Offset the fruit with vegetables and leafy greens. This way you will consume the juice whilst the nutrients are still alive. When you consume most shop bought juices the vitamins and minerals are all but dead unless the drink has been fortified. There’s no substitute for the real thing.

If this doesn’t work maybe try transitioning away from juicing altogether by slowly decreasing the amount of juice that you drink or swapping it for smoothie bowls instead which are much healthier because they still contain plant fibre.

The question is, what are you trying to achieve? If it’s weight loss you can do a juice cleanse but not long-term. If it’s to get a vitamin and mineral boost, great. But if it’s simply for something to drink try water.

You know water is the best option don’t you and if it’s too boring for you why not add Arbonne’s fizz sticks to the mix. They always remind me of summer, and they’ve just released a grapefruit version, amazing with tonic water, I don’t mind if I do. My favourite is the cherry one. I’ve convinced myself that cherries are a superfood that can’t be challenged when it comes to the fight against free radicals.

Whenever in doubt your best bet is to go for the water and spice it up and to swap plant-based drinks for vegan meals instead which you can make in your own kitchen with ease.

If you’re not sure where to start you can pick up some plant-based recipes and a 7-day juice cleanse for free on my vegan resources page.

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Can A Plant-Based Diet Reverse Heart Disease?

CAN A PLANT-BASED DIET REVERSE HEART DISEASE?

Heart is the most important organ in the body, because if your heart isn’t pumping the blood around your body the rest of your organs can’t do their job.

Only a healthy heart can run a healthy body, and this comes from a healthy diet and lifestyle. The food choices these days is leading to increase in the number of lifestyle diseases and heart disease is at the top of the list.

The number of people suffering from heart disease is growing fast around the world as the Standard American Diet filters through to the east. Heart disease is largely preventable and there has always been a debate as to what kind of food is the best for your heart. Should the diet be animal based or plant based or a mix of both? Good question and the answer is . . .The best diet for the prevention of heart disease is a whole foods plant-based diet.

The plant-based diet has been gaining popularity for the last few years now and experts such as Drs. Greger, Esselstyn, Klaper and Fuhrman have all spent their lives in plant-based medicine trying to educate people to eat a plant-based diet for optimal health.

Those who followed a plant-based diet for several years have all witnessed positive changes to their mind and body. It is still important to mention that not every plant-based diet will equally benefit you only the right choice of food derived from plants can give the best results. For example, pasta and white bread, though originated from plants they are highly processed, high in starch, and lacking in many heart-healthy nutrients.

Similarly, a fruit squeezed into a glass of juice will not hold the same benefits as it would have in its whole form. Once squeezed into a pure liquid it becomes high in sugar and lacks fiber. But a freshly squeezed juice at home will help you to get that vitamin boost you need naturally.

Many research studies have been conducted to determine the impact of a plant-based diet on heart health. It is often asked. “Can a plant-based diet reverse heart disease?” Well, the answer is yes it can. A whole foods plant based is rich in fiber, minerals, probiotics, vitamins, healthy fats and phytonutrients and low in saturated fats and sugar hence maintaining heart health in the best possible way.

Hana Kahleova, M.D,Ph.D, Physicians committee director of clinical research says “a plant based diet has the power to not only prevent heart disease , but also manage and sometimes even reverse it_ something no drug has ever done” Www.pcrm.org

The study conducted by the same committee found that plant-based diet reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 40 percent, opens blocked arteries either fully or partially for about 91 percent of patients. Www.pcrm.org

According to Dr. Michael Greger the only way of eating that has proven to reverse heart diseases in majority of patients is a diet centered around whole plant foods. You can check out more about heart disease from Dr. Greger at www.Nutritionfacts.org

If you just don’t know where to start and taking the first step is the problem, why not purchase a couple of books to help you start your health transformation journey?

I recommend:

How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger (Amazon UK Link)

How Not to Die Cookbook by Dr. Michael Greger (Amazon UK Link)

How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger (Amazon.com Link)

How Not to Die Cookbook by Dr. Michael Greger (Amazon.com Link)

The journey to optimal health is easy when you choose a whole foods plant-based diet. The hardest thing to do is take that first step, after that it’s all much easier.

You may also like to read (pop links to other blogs on my site please)

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What Is An Auto-Immune Disease?

WHAT IS AN AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASE?

Autoimmune diseases result from the immune system attacking healthy cells because it can’t identify them. But new research shows that the cure might be right in your pantry!

Instead of chemicals, drugs, or surgery, one solution to autoimmune disorders might simply be changing your diet. You could literally starve the disease from your body with a plant-based diet.

Doctors have been seeing a rise in autoimmune diseases for decades. Where just a single cause is not known, it seems as though the effects are getting worse.

In some cases, as with multiple sclerosis or type I diabetes, there may be no cure at all.

But what if changing our diets could change those outcomes? What if autoimmune diseases were simply a case of malnutrition?

It’s an idea that goes back to Hippocrates, who said, “All disease begins in the gut.” But new research is giving us insight into how this might work.

Scientists are coming to understand that most cells of our bodies have their own built-in power plants, which allow them to function without getting energy from food.

I could show you the research but my guess is it would be too boring for you, simplified . . .

It appears that once again a plant-based diet comes to the rescue. Auto-immune diseases can be treated with a plant-based diet, but as you know.

There’s no money to be made from broccoli or kale.

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Do You Have Arthritis?

Do you have arthritis?

If so, you are not alone. Today over 350 million people globally suffer from a form of arthritis and often experience excruciating pain with it.

As you know, arthritis occurs in any joint, but it commonly occurs in your hands, fingers, knees, hips, and spine, all of the parts of your body you move every day, making life unbearable.

Many people living with arthritis think there is no cure for it and they will just have to learn to live with the pain. But this just isn’t true! You can take control of your symptoms without relying on harmful medications or surgery by following a plant-based diet.

I wonder . . .

Have you been told that there’s no cure for your symptoms and that you will just have to take the tablets and learn to live with it?

A word of caution . . .

Never come off your medication by yourself always consult a doctor before making radical changes to your diet and lifestyle.

However, I understand that you don’t want to rely on harmful medication forever due to the added negative side effects that taking it long-term can bring.

If you’d like to start helping yourself get on top of arthritis and deal with it naturally. One thing you can do immediately is to start by introducing more vegetables, fruit, and whole foods into your diet. Especially, the green stuff.

Many scientists have found that those who follow a whole food plant-based diet can ease their arthritis symptoms by up to 70%.

What causes arthritis and why does a plant-based diet work . . .

In a word – Inflammation. And the best way to reduce arthritis symptoms is by removing foods that cause inflammation and adding those to your diet that fight it! PLANTS!

In fact, studies show that those who follow a plant-based diet experience a marked improvement in their symptoms and a reduction of inflammation within just two weeks.

Why hasn’t anyone told us this before . . .

The knowledge of the arthritis-fighting power of a plant-based diet is nothing new. In fact, many people already know how effective it can be to eat more veggies and whole foods in general for pain relief from arthritis symptoms.

Through scientific research studies, a plant-based diet has been shown to reduce inflammation, one of the primary causes of arthritis.

What are the side effects of a plant-based diet . . .

Two side effects spring to mind, an increased amount of energy and weight loss.

If having more energy, and losing weight isn’t enough motivation for you to swap to a plant-based diet then what about overall improved quality of life as well.

When you have to spend less money on medication and you find you have more energy and money to spend on enjoying yourself with your family and friends life will start looking up again!

If you’d like to see some of the information this post was written on, please watch the video below

And also, these videos here for health tips:

https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=arthritis

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Where Do Plant-Based Vegans Get Their Protein From?

Where Do Plant-Based Vegans Get Their Protein From?

Protein is such a hot topic that I think it’s worth clarifying what plant-based veganism means before we get into how to get all the protein you need as a plant-based vegan.

What does plant-based mean? For plant-based vegans, they eat whole plant foods and exclude all animal products. The whole foods plant-based vegan diet includes things like vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains.

“Plant-based” eating patterns exclude animal products or by-products of animals – sometimes referred to as “animal flesh” for simplicity – but plant-based eating patterns can include dairy and eggs because these are not animal parts whereas meat is part of an animal carcass. For plant-based vegans’ dairy and eggs are also excluded.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

The amount of protein recommended by dietitians for plant-based vegans is 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. For example, a plant-based vegan who weighs 90 pounds would need 90 grams of plant-based vegan protein daily. The amount of plant-based vegan protein recommended is the same for all plant-based vegans regardless of gender, age, and weight.

What Are Excellent Plant Based Vegan Sources Of Protein?

– beans and legumes are plant foods that contain high levels of plant protein.

– nuts and seeds provide a plant-based vegan with plant protein in addition to many nutrients, minerals, and health benefits.

– grains are plant foods that provide plant protein along with fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

What Are Some Good Plant-Based Protein Options?

Some plant-based vegan high protein options that are easy to digest and absorb include tofu. Tofu is made from soybeans which are plant-based protein sources. Tofu can be stir fried, baked or boiled or you can even make omelettes or tofu scramble.

Tempeh is another plant-based option that contains plant protein and it’s easy to digest for most plant-based vegans.

Examples of plant proteins that require more work to be digested by the body include nuts and legumes such as chickpeas. But don’t be discouraged! The lower rate of digestion does not mean these foods contain less protein; your digestive system just has to put more work in to process them.

If you strength train and want to build muscle you will need to consume a higher amount of protein than 0-8g – 1g per body weight.

If you are on a low-calorie diet but want to avoid muscle loss you will need to consume a higher protein intake. Keto is not for everyone and can have long-term side effects. Keeping your protein intake at a safe level is important for optimal health.

There is some research which suggests that we may need to consume higher amounts of protein as we age because our rate of absorption decreases. This may be true but again keto is not for everyone, and a sensible amount of protein should be consumed for optimal health.

Further Examples of Plant-Based Vegan Protein Sources

The list below contains a few more examples of high-protein plant-based vegan foods.

Seitan
Soya Beans
Tempeh
Pasta made from edamame, red lentils, chickpeas, or any kind of beans,
Hemp protein
Nutritional yeast
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
Nuts (also high in fat)

Why Is The Plant-Based Vegan Diet Good For Weight Loss?

If you eat plant foods like fruit, vegetables, beans and whole grains throughout the day, you probably get enough plant-based vegan protein without even trying because these plant foods have a low-calorie density and are high in fibre. The above sources of plant-based vegan protein are ideal for weight loss diets too because they allow people to eat large portions of food while staying slim.

Plant-based vegans on a whole foods diet consume such a range of plants that they get enough protein in their diets without having to count grams.

However, plant-based vegans following a vegan weight loss or muscle gain diet may benefit from using plant-based vegan calculators that will help them keep track of their plant protein intake to make sure they are getting enough plant-based vegan protein.

I hope this article has helped you understand what plant-based veganism means and how it relates to plant proteins. When following a plant-based vegan diet rich in whole foods the only thing to supplement is B12 not protein.

If you don’t know where to start and would like some free recipes, why not pop over to my vegan resources page and pick up my 7-day recipe book.

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Sunday Lunch Anyone?

Do you want to know how to eat healthily and still enjoy Sunday lunch with your family?

We all love a good Sunday roast dinner, but if you’re plant-based it can be hard to find something that will satisfy everyone. But I have the solution!

There are plenty of plant-based meat substitutes out there that are very hard to distinguish between the real versus the fake. And whilst it’s not advisable to eat meat or plant-based substitutes every day they do keep the Sunday lunch looking real.

Plant-based substitutes are not only healthier than meat and dairy products but are also ethical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. At a time where we are facing critical climate issues, it’s important to remember that becoming plant-based is one of the best things you can do for the planet.

So why not join thousands of other people who are already enjoying their Sunday lunches the plant-based way!

Some of the best plant-based substitutes according to me are:

What the Cluck

Move the Mountain

Plant Kitchen

Wicked Kitchen

Squeaky Bean

Beyond Burgers

Impossible Burgers

Viv Era

Tesco, M&S, and Sainsbury’s home brands

There are so many brands out there now providing plant-based alternatives it’s impossible for me to mention them all here.

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Why A Plant-Based Diet Is Good For Oral Health

Why a Plant-Based Diet is good for Oral Health

We go to the doctor whenever we feel not quite right. Less since Covid-19. You might get a physical or take an annual health assessment test just to make sure everything is still working as it should be.

But you are also supposed to go for your “annual” check-up with your dentist, too. A lot of us don’t like going to the dentist because they always find something that is wrong with us and it seems more painful than any other medical experience we have had before.

Right? Wrong! Well….not exactly wrong but my point is this: There’s usually nothing seriously wrong with me when I go to the dental clinic but there are things that sometimes need attention or I simply ignore them until I come back again in 6 months for another look under the microscope. When you get to your mid-30s, you start to think about not only looking good but also staying healthy.

Is it necessary to go plant-based even straight away?

That’s the ideal situation, however, sometimes it takes us time to come out of our bad habits and into our good habits. I stopped eating meat totally when I was 42 when I learnt about the animal cruelty involved and the health benefits and environmental factors followed. I started thinking about plant-based diets but I didn’t go plant-based to start with I first went vegetarian, then pescatarian then vegan and finally I became a plant-based vegan.

What was my turning point?

But it wasn’t until I read the book The China Study by T. Colin Campbell that my thinking became more serious about plant-based diets as a way to stay healthier for life.

So….back to the story.

I went back to the dentist one year after going plant-based and guess what? The dentist immediately noticed a major difference in my teeth since he had last seen me! They told me, “Your gums look better now than when you were here last, your teeth are great, and you don’t need to see the hygienist! What did you do? I thought plant-based diets cause gum disease. They don’t, I said to my dentist they make your gums and teeth better. My dentist now calls me boring and says. “There’s nothing to see here, see you in 6 months.”

But doesn’t plant-based mean pretty much vegan…. right? my dentist asked me next. Yes, I told them they are right but, in my case, plant-based is more of a plant-focused diet, not a vegan diet. Although I am vegan because vegan is a lifestyle and not a diet.

So, plant-based is plant-focused, what does that mean? Simply put plant-based diets are plant-focused. This means the main staple of your daily meals consists of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and legumes…. not processed foods, dairy, or meat.

Are plant-based diets for everyone?

I know it sounds simple but plant-based diets are not just for vegans. They are for anyone who wants to improve their health without having to take medication all the time. In fact, they help to reverse lifestyle diseases and the aging process.

If you want to reverse aging, then try plant-based eating with lots of veggies and fruits too! Your levels of insulin will reduce dramatically if you go plant-based because they help balance blood sugar levels in your body which decreases glycation—the process where excess sugars bind to proteins and form harmful new molecules called Advanced Glycation End products.

What’s the deal with Blue Zones?

A plant-focused diet is what all the other blue zones areas are doing too, not just Loma Linda which has the most plant-based breakfast cereals in the world available at their local markets but Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya Peninsula, Icaria…countries with high concentrations of centenarians who have similar plant-focused diets as well.

So plant-based diets are good for you….? but why are they so successful? Ye sof course they are as long as you stick to a plant-based diet and don’t go off the path.

Because plant foods contain lots of nutrients that cannot be found anywhere else like vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, etc they are superior to other sources of food. These natural foods will help protect your body from disease. And if you go plant-based you’ll be not only improving your dental, physical, emotional, and mental health but you’ll also be helping the environment too.

Since plant-based diets are plant-focused, this means you have lots of plant foods in your diet, so they contain high amounts of fibre which helps with weight loss and controlling your blood sugar levels…lowering the risk for diabetes. It’s a no brainer, isn’t it? You can lose weight and reverse type 2 diabetes by going plant-based? Why doesn’t everyone do it?

People who are plant-focused eat more whole grains instead of processed white bread which will decrease inflammation in your body because its the low glycemic index. Did you know dairy has the same insulin index spike as white bread?

Plant-based eating is good for you we all deep down know this but it’s not until we hit a major lifestyle disease that we decide to change. What if life could be different and we didn’t have to face the diseases of diet and lifestyle? What if we choose to be healthy and happy rather than eat with our eyes…?

Another issue relating to the plant-based diet is protein and the questions I normally get asked are. “Where do you get your protein from?” That’s another article.

For now, though, the main food items you should be eating is all things vegetable and fruit sparingly. Too much fruit can cause tooth decay just like any other sugar, but vegetables, legumes, pulses and grains can be consumed as part of a healthy diet. All things plants in moderation.

To get more plants into your diet learn how to cook. Learn to cook simple foods with variety and aim to eat the rainbow. You can try some of my plant-based recipes for a healthier lifestyle and a healthier happier you.

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